Blanka Klimova, Michal Novotny, Martin Valis
Journal: Nutrients 2020;12(3):710
PMID: 32156003
Depression is a common condition in the ageing population; however, it is underdiagnosed due to the high occurrence of other diseases in this group of people. When it is diagnosed, treatment with antidepressants can be unsuccessful and research is being undertaken to determine why. Non-pharmacological treatments such as diet and lifestyle modifications have been indicated to play a part in the treatment of depression, possibly due to its influence over the gut microbiota and in turn, its impact on the brain. The aim of this systematic review of six randomised control trials and cross-sectional studies was to determine whether nutrition has a positive effect on the prevention or reduction of symptoms among elderly people. The results showed that there is an association between nutrient intake and symptoms of depression amongst the elderly. There was evidence of an association between vitamin B intake and an increase in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. The influence of the gut microbiome was discussed in this association, however no analysis was made on this. It was concluded that there is an association between nutrient intake and depressive symptoms amongst the elderly population, however it was noted that it is important to study dietary intake as a whole and not just individual nutrients. This study would be of benefit to healthcare professionals to recommend a healthy diet with a high vitamin B content to improve symptoms of depression.
The aim of this review is to systematically review the evidence whether proper nutrition has a positive impact on the prevention or decline of depressive symptoms among elderly people. In addition, possible connections between nutrition, microbiome, and serotonin molecules and its tryptophan precursor are discussed. The methodology follows the PRISMA guidelines, including the PRISMA flow chart. The authors systematically reviewed peer-review, English-written articles published in Web of Science and PubMed between 2013 and 2018. The findings of six original articles, detected on the set inclusion and exclusion criteria, indicate that there is an association between nutrition and depressive symptoms in the target group, i.e., that proper nutrition has a positive impact on the prevention or reduction of depressive symptoms among elderly people. The findings also reveal that there is a considerable correlation between the intakes of vitamin B and a decrease in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, sufficient nutrient intake of tryptophan appears to be an important factor in terms of nutrition and serotonin levels in the body. The authors consider it important to explore associations between the overall dietary intake and depression since diets are not consumed as individual nutrients. Returning to preventive approaches seems to be a rational way to promote the mental health of seniors. Future studies thus need to include interdisciplinary collaboration: from a good diagnosis of the disease by a psychiatrist, through an analysis of the need for nutrient metabolism by a biochemist to the development of a nutritional plan by a nutritional therapist. The limitations of this review consist in a relatively small number of the studies on this topic, including just few randomized controlled trials, which are a guarantee of efficacy and objectivity in comparison with cross-sectional studies.
© Copyright 2026, Nutrition Evidence
NED wishes to thank the following organisations for their support:
We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic with Google Analytics. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more.